Federal
government support is the final hurdle to
providing sufficient funding for Stage 2 of
the LRT project. File photo

The
federal Conservatives say they will commit $1 billion towards
the construction of the second phase of Ottawa's light rail
project pending the necessary applications from the city.

The
pledge came by way of a letter from Ottawa-Orléans
MP Royal Galipeau. In it, Galipeau says the billion dollar
commitment is part of the federal government's new Public
Transit Fund which received Parliamentary approval on
June 15.

Galipeau,
who has been appointed by Harper as the federal government's
LRT point man, says the contribution will help ensure
that Stage 2 is completed.

"We
are able to invest in the Stage 2 Light Rail Transit project
while keeping taxes low. This will help families in Ottawa
spend more time together rather than more time sitting
in gridlock," the statement reads.

The
federal commitment is the last piece of the funding puzzle
for Stage 2 to proceed. The Ontario Liberal government
committed its $1 billion share of the project during the
last provincial election.

And
while the federal Conservative government's pledge is
dependent on their getting re-elected this fall, it is
almost a given that the federal Liberals will make a similar
commitment during the campaign to avoid suffering the
same fate as the Ontario Conservatives in the last provincial
election.

During
that campaign, then Conservative leader Tim Hudak at first
rejected supporting Stage 2 of the LRT project and then
made a complete reversal when he realized his position
was costing the party votes in local ridings.

Although
the federal Liberals have yet to officially throw their
support behind Stage 2, Justin Trudeau promised to support
more rail in Ottawa back in February 2014.

If
all goes well and the funding is in place, Stage 2 of
the LRT project would begin sometime in 2018, immediately
after the completion of Stage 1 and would extend light
rail to Place d'Orléans in the east; the Bayshore
Shopping Centre and Baseline Station in the west; and
Riverside South.